Alcoholic beverage industry in Europe

The alcoholic beverage industry in Europe creates a quarter of all the world's alcohol and more than half of the world's wine. Most of this trade happens inside Europe, especially among countries in the European Union (EU). This trade helps the EU earn about 9 billion euros each year.

Many tourists bring alcohol home from their trips, often carrying more than 2 liters of pure alcohol per person. However, there are also problems with illegal alcohol trading, which cost Europe a lot of money in the past.

Alcohol taxes in EU countries were about 25 billion euros in 2001, not counting other taxes. The industry also provides many jobs, with over 750,000 people working in making alcohol, mostly wine, and many more jobs in places like pubs and shops.